And he said to his servants, “He is John the Baptist. He has risen from the dead, and that is why miracles are being done through him.”
This passage shows how sin distorts a person’s perception of the truth. Herod hears of Jesus’ fame—about His teachings and miracles. Yet instead of the truth, he gives the events a distorted and superstitious interpretation. He thinks that Jesus is John the Baptist, whom he himself had killed, risen from the dead. This is a clear sign of a troubled conscience. Though outwardly he rules, inwardly he is in fear. Not having repented, he lives under the constant pressure of the memory of sin. For this reason, God’s work—the miracles—he views not in the light of faith, but as a dreadful sign of judgment. He does not recognize the true Messiah, because his heart is blind. This verse shows how important it is to repent in time. When a person does not repent, his conscience grows dark, and even news about Jesus can produce fear rather than joy. When sin is not brought before God, it does not fall silent, but begins to speak within a person, corrupting his whole perception.